Brake mechanism for railway cars



Dec. 3, 1929. o. c. DURYEA 1,737,922

BRAKE MECHANISM FOR RAILWAY CARS File M y 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet I Dec. 3, 1929. o. c, DURYEA BRAKE MECHANISM FOR RAILWAY CARS 7 Filed May 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Elk/um m, 0 1% C W A; LIL/ALAN Patented Dec. 3,. 1929 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE OTI-IO C. DURYEA, OF WATERBURY, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO 0. C. DURYEA COR- PORATION 0F WILMINGTON, DELAWARE, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE BRAKE MECHANISM FOR RAILWAY CARS Application filed May 5,

This invention relates to brake mechanism for railway rolling stock.

It has heretofore been proposed to provide railway cars comprising a body portion mounted for limited longitudinal movement relative to the running gear or to a center draft member, said movement being yieldingly resisted by suitable means, whereby impact shocks or blows imparted to the car in the course of normal operation are prevented from damaging the car structure and its lading. Structures of this type are disclosed and claimed in my copending applications, Serial No. 23,111, filed April 14, 1925, and Serial No. 26,267, filed April 27, 1925.

In a car structure of the above type, the elements constituting the brake mechanism, if the car is provided with brakes, must have relative longitudinal movement since certain of said elements should be fixedly attached to the running gear or to said center member, and certain other elements should be fixedly attached to the'body structure. For example, the brake mast is usually mounted for movement with the car body, while certain other brake elements, such as the brake beams and brake shoes, are fixedly secured to the running gear and are movable therewith. Relative movement must therefore take place between the brake mast and said elements whenever relative movement occurs between the car body and the running gear or between the car body and the center draft member.

An object of the present invention is to provide, in combination with a car of the longitudinally movable body type or the center draft member type, novel brake mechanism which is so constructed that relative movement between elements of said mechanism does not interfere with the proper functioning of the brakes.

Another object of the invention is to pro vide novel means for operatively connecting the hand brake control members with the remainder of the brake mechanism whereby relative longitudinal movement of said members does not interfere with the proper functioning of said mechanism.

Other objects, which will appear more fully hereinafter, include the provision of simple 1925. Serial No. 28,244.

and rugged brake mechanism which is inexpensive to manufacture, and which conforms to the standard brake construction employed at the present time.

The invention will be readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, which drawings, however, are for the purpose of illustration only and are not to be taken as defining the limits of the invention, reference being had to the appended claims for this purpose.

In the dra wings,

Fig. 1 is a top plan View illustrating a portion of a car structure embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail end View, partly in section. and with parts broken away illustrating one manner in whichthe hand control members may be associated with the running gear;

Fig. 3 is an end view illustrating one manner in which the hand control members may be associated with the body of a car of the box-car type;

Fig. 4 is a detail top plan view illustrating another manner in which the hand brake control elements may be associated with the running gear; and

Fig. 5 is an end view, similar to Fig. 3, illustrating the preferred manner of associating the mechanism shown'in Fig. 1 with the body of a car.

Referring to the drawings wherein like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the several views, and particularly to Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive, the car structure on which the brake mechanism is mounted may be similar to that disclosed in my copend ing application Serial No. 23,111 referred to above, and may include running gear comprising a center member 10. Rigidly secured to the center member 10 in any desired manner, as by means of rivets, are a plurality of transverse supporting members which include bolsters 11 and cross bearers 12, the ends of said transverse members having sliding engagement with the body portion of the car structure.

Strengthening means of any suitable type may be employed for bracing the cross bearers 12 and for facilitating the mounting of certain of the brake elements. In the form shown, the cross bearers are connected adjacent their outer ends by longitudinally extending members 13 which may be secured to the cross bearers, as by means of gusset plates 14 and rivets. Diagonal bracing members 15 may be secured to the pair of cross bearers 12 at the center of the car structure. Draft sills 16 of any suitable type are rigidly attached to the bolsters 11 and said draft sills carry draft gears 17 in a manner well understood in the art.

Mounted for longitudinal movement relative to the running gear described above, is a car body of any suitable type which is represented in Fig. 1 by end sills 18 and side sills 19.

The ends of the transverse members 11, 12 extend into the planes of the side sills 19 and thus constitute supporting means for the body structure. Resilient members 20, which members are preferably coil springs, are operatively secured to the ends of the bolsters 11 and to members 21, which latter are rigidly attached to the side sills 19, for yieldingly resisting relative longitudinal movement be tween the body structure and the running gear.

The brake mechanism comprises an air cylinder 22 and a brake cylinder 23 of the usual type, which are provided with a con necting pipe 24 and which are secured in any suitable manner to the running gear. Preferably, the air and brake cylinders are rigidly attached directly to the diagonally disposed bracing members 15. A brake cylinder lever 25 is secured at one end thereof to the piston rod 26 of the brake cylinder 23 and at its opposite end to a brake rod 27 leading to the truck brake rigging (not shown). A link 28 is operatively connected to the brake cylinder lever 25 intermediate the ends thereof and to a brake rod lever 29, which latter is pivotally connected to a brake rod 27 leading to the truck brake rigging at the opposite end of the car. It will be understood that the above described brake mechanism is of the usual type and that the present invention is not limited to the specific elements illustrated. A train air line 30 is connected to the air cylinder 22 and the opposite ends of said line are preferably secured to the striking plates 31 carried by the draft sills 16. An air release line 32 has its inner end connected to the air cylinder 22, and its outer end is preferably rigidly attached to the striking plate 31. The air release line and the train air line may be secured to the striking plate 31 by means of a member 33 and suitable bolts 34, 35.

To provide for hand operation of the brake mechanism, a flexible member 36 may be directly attached to the outer end of the piston rod 26 and to a hand brake lever 37 which is pivotally secured at its inn 'r end to the center member 10. Pivoted to the outer end of lever 37 is a hand brake rod 38 which extends toward one end of the car structure and which is provided adjacent said end with a flexible connecting member 38 thatis attached in any desired manner to the lower portion 39 of a sectional brake mast. As shown in in Fig. 2, the portion 39 of the mast may be rotatably mounted in a member 40 that may be integrally formed with the striking plate 31 and which extends laterally therefrom. The member .40 constitutes a guard for the flexible member 38". Each of the brake elements above described is fixedly attached to the running gear of the car and consequently has movement with said running gear.

The hand and brake control members which are carried by the car body and which are movable therewith, are so constructed that longitudinal movement of the car body relative to the running gear does not interfere with the proper functioning of said members. As shown, the brake mast is formed on a lower section 39 which is adapted for movement with the running gear as above described, and upper sections 41 and 42, which latter are mounted for movement with the car body. In order to provide for relative movement between the lower section 39 and the upper sections 41, 42, said sections are preferably connected by universal joints 43. In the form shown, said joints comprise a pair of downwardly extending and parallel arms 44 which may be integral with the upper end of two adjacent sections. These arms 44 have engagement with a flange portion 45 formed on the-upper end of the lower adjacent section, said flange portions being provided with openings of relatively large diameter through which the arms 44 extend. It will be understood, however, that universal joints of any other suitable type may be employed for connecting the sections of the brake mast. The usual hand wheel 46 and ratchet mechanism 47 are associated with the upper section of the mast in a manner well understood in the art.

In order to provide for relative movement between the portion of the air release line 32, which is secured to the running gear, and the portion 32 of said line which is connected to the car-body, suitable flexible means is employed for connecting said portions. In the form shown, said means is constituted by a flexible pipe or hose 48 which is attached at one end to the portion 32 and at its opposite end to the portion 32. An air release valve 49 is provided at the upper end of the portion 32 adjacent the brake step 50.

Longitudinal movement of the car body relative to the running gear results in move ment of the brake mast sections 41, 42 and the air release line section 32 relative to the running gear and the remainder of the brake mechanism. Due to the universal joint connections 43 and the flexible pipe or hose 48, this relative movement does not interfere with the functioning of the brake mechanism at any time.

In Figs. 4 and 5 there is shown a second embodiment of the present invention whereby relative longitudinal movement between the hand control members and the remainder of the brake mechanism does not interfere with the operation of the brakes. The flexible connecting member 38 attached at its inner end to the hand brake rod 38, isled around a pulley or sheave 51 which is secured to the running gear and preferably to the side of the striking plate 31. The outer end of member 38 is fixedly attached to the foot of a brake mast 52 which is journalled at the lower end in a U-shaped member 53 secured to the car body. Straps 54 are also preferably employed for operatively securing the brake mast to the car body, said mast being an integrally formed rod of the usual type which extends upwardly along the end of the car body, and is provided with a hand-wheel 46 and ratchet mechanism 47. The portion 32 of the air release line, mounted for movement with the car body, extends downtvardly from the air release valve 49 to a suitable point beneath thebody of the car, and is preferably secured to one of the side sills 19, as by means of an inwardly projecting lug 55. Relative longitudinal movement between the portion 32 and the main portion 32 of the air release line may be provided for by a flexible connecting pipe or hose 56 secured in any desired manner to the adjacent ends of the portions 32 and 32. Relative movement between the car body and the running gear does not interfere with hand operation of the brakes since the flexible connecting member 38 has rolling engagement with the pulley 51.

There is thus provided a novel brake mechanism for railway cars of the longitudinally movable body type or center draft member type which is so constructed that relative movement between the elements of said mechanism does not interfere with the proper functioning of the brakes. The mechanism conforms closely to standard brake construction now employed. Various changes may be made in details of construction without departing from the invention defined in the appended claims.

lVhat is claimed is 1. In combination with a railway car comprising running gear anda body mounted for longitudinal movement relative thereto,brake mechanism for said car including a brake mast, an air release line section, said mast and section being secured to said body, means including an air cylinder secured to said running gear and movable therewith, and flexible elements connecting said brake mast and section to said means, one of said elements having operative engagement with thestriking plate of the running gear.

2. In combination with a railway car comprising running gear and a body mounted for longitudinal movement relative thereto, brake mechanism for said car including brake and air cylinders mounted on the running gear and movable therewith, hand control members mounted on the body and movable therewith including a brake mast formed of sect-ions and universal joints connecting said sections, and flexible means operatively connecting said members with the brake means mounted on the running gear.

3. In combination with a railway car comprising running gear and a body. mounted for longitudinal movement relative thereto, brake mechanism for said car including brake and air cylinders mounted on the running gear and movable therewith, a hand brake rod, and an air release line operatively connected to said brake and air 0 linders respectively, a brake mast formed 01 a plurality of sections, universal joint means connecting said sections, and an air release line section mounted on the body and movable therewith, a flexible connection for said release line and said release line section, and a flexible member connecting said brake rod and a section of said mast. p

4. In combination with a railway car comprising running gear and a body mounted for longitudinal movement relative thereto, brake mechanism for said car including a hand brake rod and an air release line mounted on the running gear and movable therewith, a brake mast and an air release line section mounted on the body and movable therewith, a flexible connection for said release line and sail release line section, a pulley secured to the running gear, and flexible means engaging said pulley and attached to said rod and mast.

5. In combination with a railway car including running gear and a body mounted for longitudinal movement relative to said running gear, brake mechanism for said car, said mechanism comprising means including an air cylinder, a brake cylinder, and a brake mast section mounted on the running gear and movable therewith, means mounted on the body and movable therewith including a brake mast and joint means for connecting the latter to said brake mast section, and means connecting said first and second-named means.

6. In combination with a car structure embodying a car body and a longitudinal member projecting beyond the ends of the body and movable relative to said body, brake mechanism for said structure including an air release line secured to said longitudinal member at a point closely adjacent the end of the car body, said release line being movable with said longitudinal member, an air release line section mounted on said body and movable therewith, and a flexible air line portion connecting said release line and said release line section to permit relative movement between said line and section.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification. OTHO O. DURYEA. 

